Displays



1967 R. w. GUYER, JR. E AL 3,350,804

DISPLAYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jun 28, 1965 IVENTOR u YE/Zx/R REY/v01.0s .VV. 6

W/AL/AM d. Poem/so BY (MMQM /YLTORNEY Nov. 7, 1967 R. w. GUYER; JR. m3,35 ,80

DISPLAYS Filed June 28, 1965 2 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTQR REM/mas WGUVEf?,g/R F/G. W/LLMM J- Ream/sew BY gwa ATTORNEY .display. Obviously,

United States Patent 3,350,804 DISPLAYS Reynolds W. Guyer, In, WhiteBear, and William J. Robinson, St. Paul, Minn, assignors to ReynoldsGuyer Agency of Design, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota FiledJune 28, 1965, Ser. No. 467,777 1 Claim. (Cl. ill-124.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE The invention resides in a display whichforms its own shipping container. The display includes a standardcomprising an elongated sheet of paperboard longitudinally creased toprovide four hingedly connected panels which, when folded, forms atriangular post. A transverse crease line intermediate the ends of thesheet permit the sheet to be folded centrally longitudinally and foldedtransversely to fit into an elongated container substantially shorterand narrower than the sheet forming the post. A pair of rectangularpaper display panels shorter in one dimension than the container and fittherein in rolled condition. A supporting bracket is provided which alsofits into the container in folded form. The bracket folds into V-shapcdform and triangular apertures are provided in opposite sides toaccommodate the folded post. The container is an elongated tubularcontainer with end closure flaps. A triangular detachable area isprovided midway between the ends of one side wall providing, whenremoved, an aperture for receiving the upper end of the triangularfolded post. The display panels are attached to opposite sides of thecontainer to depend therefrom.

This invention relates to an improvement in displays and dealsparticularly with an inexpensive display structure which may be shippedand stored in a very compact space.

company manufacturing the product to be displayed, and

are erected by this representative at the location where it is used.However, such a procedure may not be economically possible where theproduct involved is relatively inexpensive and is sold in small volume.In such cases, it is only possible for the company producing the productto ship the display with a consignment of goods, and to trust the storemanagers to have the displays set up. When this procedure is followed,the displays are merely discarded due to the fact that the displays areoftentimes bulky, and as each person setting up the display must followdirections a step at a time in order to assemble the much more time isrequired for a person seeing the display for the first time to assemblethe various pieces, than would be required for a company representativeto do the job. It is an object of the present invention to provide aneffective display which is eX- tremely easy to set up as the directionsfor accomplishing this task are very simple.

A further ditliculty involved in connection with displays of this typelies in the fact that the displays are usually shipped in a large andrather bulky package. Such a package is often difiicult to ship and alsodiflicult to store when received until the display is erected. If thepackage is opened, certain of the parts of the display are lost, makingthe entire display unusable. It is an object of the present invention toprovide a display which may provide a relatively large display area, butyet which may be entirely contained in an outer container designed toform a part of the completed display. As a result, the various parts ofthe display are entirely contained in a container which may be readilymailed, eliminating the need for wrapping or otherwise enclosing thenecessary parts.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact that theouter container of the display may be used to provide a cross memberwhich may be readily supported at the top of a paperboard post andsupported by a supporting element which is contained within thecontainer. The dislay panels comprise flexible sheets which are attachedoverlying opposite sides of the cross member. As a result of thisarrangement, the greater portion of the outer container is covered bythe display sheets so that any disfiguration of the outer containercaused during shipment will be concealed from view.

An added feature of the present invention resides in the provision of anelongated strip of corrugated paperboard or the like which is creased toprovide four elongated panels. By folding the strip along these foldlines, a triangular post may be formed with the two edge panels of thestrip'in overlapping relation, thereby forming a firm support for thecross member. The elongated strip is also preferably creasedintermediate its ends so that a supporting post may be provided almosttwice the length of the outer container in which it is shipped.

An added feature of the present invention resides in the provision ofperforations in a wall of the outer container defining a triangular areawhich may be detached to permit an end of the triangular post to beinserted through the opening and so that the end of the post may abutthe wall of the outer container opposite that bearing the removableportion. When the end of the triangular post is inserted through theopening, the post is held in triangular form without other fasteningmeans.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of apost supporting member comprising a rectangular sheet of corrugatedboard or the like which may be centrally folded to fit within the outercontainer. When this sheet is unfolded, it may be refolded along spacedfold lines to form a U-shaped attaching member. Triangular apertures areformed in opposite sides of the U-shaped member through which the lowerend of the triangular post may be inserted. The post fits frictionallywithin the openings of the attaching member to permit adjustment ofheight of the post. The center portion of the U-shaped member isprovided with areas of pressure sensitive adhesive, to permit theattaching member to be adhered to a vertical surface such as the end ofa counter or display rack with the post extending upwardly therefrom.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision ofareas of pressure sensitive adhesive on the flexible display sheets andby means of which the display sheets may be secured to opposite sides ofthe cross member to depend downwardly therefrom. Similar areas ofadhesive may be provided at the lower edges of the display sheets sothat they may be sealed together on opposite sides of the post toprevent the display sheets from curling or twisting out of shape.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaim.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the display in display position.

FIGURE 2 is a which contains all FIGURE 3 is a in which one endperspective view of the outer container of the parts of the display.

perspective detail showing the manner of the triangular post may beinserted into an opening formed by detaching a portion of the outercontainer.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective detail showing the manner in which the post isconnected to the U-shaped bracket.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the bracket bent in U-shaped formshowing the areas of pressure sensitive adhesive used for attaching thebracket to the end of a counter display rack or the like.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the outercontainer is formed.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the blank from which thetriangular post is formed.

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the supportingbracket is formed.

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view of one of the display sheets, showingthe areas of pressure sensitive adhesive thereupon.

The display includes five pieces including the outer container A, thepost B, the supporting bracket C and two display sheets D which may beidentical insofar as construction is concerned. The display sheets D areof a width slightly less than the width of the outside container A sothat the two sheets may be rolled together and inserted in thecontainer. The bracket C is of shorter vertical length than the lengthof the outer container A and is centrally divided to fold into a shapeslightly less than the width of the outer container A. The post B isapproximately twice the width and twice the length of the outercontainer A, but is longitudinally folded along its center line and alsotransversely folded so that all of the parts fit within the outercontainer A during transportation and shipment.

The outer container A is shown as including a face panel 10, a bottompanel 11, a rear face panel 12, and a top wall panel 13 hingedlyconnected together along parallel fold lines 14 and 15 and 16,respectively. A glue flap 17 is hinged to the top panel 13 along a foldline 19. The glue flap 17 is normally adhered in overlapping relation tothe inner surface of the face panel 10 to complete the tubularstructure. Closure flaps 20 are hingedly connected to opposite ends ofthe bottom panel 11 along parallel fold lines 21. Similar closure flaps22 are hinged to the ends of the top panel 13 along fold lines 23 whichare aligned with the fold lines 21. End closure flaps 24 are hinged tothe ends of the front panel 10 along fold lines 25 which are alignedwith the fold lines 21 and 23. Tuck flaps 26 are hinged to the closureflaps 24 along fold lines 27. The tuck fiaps 26 are designed to tuckinwardly of the opposite or rear panel 12.

In the particular arrangement illustrated, locks are provided forlocking the tuck flaps in closed position. These locks comprise flaps 29hinged to the ends of the rear panel 12 along fold lines generallyaligned with the fold lines 21 and 23. Locking tongues 3 are hinged tothe locking flaps 2? along fold lines 31. The fold lines 25 whichconnect the closure flaps 24 to the front panel 10 are interrupted by apair of U-shaped cut lines 32 which extend into the end closure flaps24. These cut lines 32 provide slots at the inner edges of the closureflaps 24 when the closure flaps are in closed position adapted toreceive the locking tongues hinged to the opposite walls.

The outer container A also includes a detachable rectangular area 33 atthe longitudinal center of the bottom wall panel 11. The area 33 isdefined by a perforated line 34 extending along the fold lines 15, and apair of converging perforated lines 35 which extend from the ends of theperforated line 34 to the score line 14.

The post section B comprises an elongated rectangular strip ofcorrugated paperboard or the like preferably arranged with thecorrugations of the board extending longitudinally thereof. The post Bis divided into four panels 36, 37, 39, and by parallel fold lines 41,42, and 43. In preferred form, three of the panels, or possibly all fourof the panels, are of equal width so as to form an equilateral triangle.While the panels have been described as being equal in width, thedimensions are actually such that the completed post is substantiallyequilateral, and the width of the panels must compensate for thethickness of the board from which the panels are formed.

A transverse fold line 44 extends across the blank B intermediate theends thereof and at right angles to the fold lines 41, 42, and 43. Whenthe post is packaged, the blank B is folded along the fold lines 44 toprovide two superimposed panels, which are then folded along thelongitudinal center line 42 to form a folded unit of four thicknesses.When folded in the manner described, the folded post is approximatelyequal in area to container panels 10 and 12 and about one-half orsomewhat less than the Width of the panels 11 and 13.

The bracket C also is formed of an elongated blank of corrugatedpaperboard or the like including a central longitudinally extending foldline 45 along which the blank may be doubled. When folded in thismanner, the blank is of a width substantially equal to the width of thepanels 10 and 12 so that the bracket can fit into the outer container.Bracket blank C is divided into a center section 46 and a pair of endsections 47 and 49 by transversely extending fold lines 50 and 51. Thefold line 50 is interrupted by a pair of converging cut lines 52, thelower ends of which are spaced apart a distance substantially equal toone panel of the supporting post, and the cut lines 52 being ofsubstantially the same length as the sides of the triangular post B. Thefold line 51 is similarly interrupted by a pair of cut lines 53 whichconverge, as do the cut lines 52, on the center fold line 45. As aresult of this arrangement, when the end portions 47 and 49 are foldedrearwardly as viewed in FIG- URE 8 into parallel relation, thetriangular areas 54 and 55 remain in the plane of the center portion 46of the bracket, and apertures such as 56 are opened in the end portions47 and 49 which are of proper dimensions to accommodate the triangularpost.

As indicated in FIGURES 5 and 8 of the drawings, adhesive strips 57 areapplied to opposite sides of the center portion 46 of the bracket C. Thestrips are double faced adhesive strips which, when applied, have aprotective covering of Holland cloth or similar material so that thepressure sensitive adhesive will be covered. When the bracket C is to beattached, this covering strip, which is indicated at 59 in FIGURE 5, ispeeled away to expose the actual body of adhesive 57.

The display panels D are flexible sheets of paper or coated fabric whichare printed with a suitable display, not illustrated in the drawings.The width of the sheets D is slightly less than the length of the outercontainer so that sheets D may be rolled up and inserted into the outercontainer. The length of the display sheets D may vary to suit thedisplay, but obviously the sheets must be of somewhat less height thanthe height of the post B.

The display sheets D are provided on their reverse surfaces with twospaced areas 60 of pressure sensitive tape, the tape normally includinga detachable covering strip of the type described. The areas 69 are nearthe opposite upper corners of the sheets D. An additional area 61 isprovided on each sheet, the area 61 being shown near the lower rightcorner. These areas 61 could also be on the lower left corners, as longas the location was uniform on both of the sheets used.

In the packaging of the display, one end of the outer container A isclosed, and the folded post B, the folding bracket C, and the rolleddisplay sheets D are inserted into the other end. The container is thenclosed and then locked ready for shipment.

Directions for setting up the display are usually printed on the outersurface thereof. To set up the display, the contents of the outercontainer are removed, the triangular section 33 is removed, and theouter container reclosed and locked. The post B is bent along theparallel fold lines 41, 42, and 43 to place the edge panels 36 and 40 inoverlapping relation. Obviously, the folded post is unfolded and placedinto the fiat form shown in FIG- URE 7 before the start of the postfolding operation. While holding the post in folded form, one endthereof is inserted into the triangular aperture 62 which is formed bythe removal of the triangular section 33.

The bracket C is then formed into U-shaped position as indicated and theother end of the post B is inserted through the apertures 56 formed inthe end portions 47 and 49 of the bracket. The post B is frictionallyengaged in the apertures 56 due to the normal tendency of the endportions 47 and 49 to fold back into a common plane with the centerportion 46 of each bracket.

The display sheets D are then attached to opposite panels 10 and 12 ofthe outer container A which now serves as a cross bar at the top of thepost. This is accomplished by removing the protective covering from theadhesive areas 60 and pressing the top corners of each sheet against acorresponding side panel of the outer container A. In order to hold thesheets D from curling, the protective covering is also removed from eachadhesive coated area 61 and the lower corners of the sheets areattached. Obviously, both of the areas 61 could be on one of the sheets,However, as the sheets are reversed when attached to the container A,the sheets may be made of identical form by having one such area at apredetermined lower corner of each sheet.

The display thus formed is then attached to a vertical surface such asto the end of a counter or display rack E. This is accomplished bymerely removing the protective covering 59 from the adhesive coatedareas 57, and attaching the bracket in vertical position. The height ofthe display may be adjusted within limits by raising or lowering thepost B relative to the bracket C.

it will be seen that the display completely contained in a compactpackage, the length of which is determined merely by the width of thedisplay desired, and the height of the supporting post. All of theoperations required to assemble the display may be simple and readilyunderstandable. In actual practice, one of the panels 10 or 12 of theouter container is printed to show each step of the assembly operationwhen completed, the paper display sheets are held in substantially flatposition by the adhesive coated areas. No tools whatsoever are requiredto complete the assembly.

In accordance with the patent statutes, the principles of constructionand operation of this improvement in displays have been described, andwhile an endeavor has been made to set forth the best embodimentthereof, it should be understood that changes may be made within thescope of the following claim without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

We claim:

A display including:

an elongated rectangular container including four rectangularly arrangedWall panels secured in tubular relation, and end closure flaps securedto the ends thereof and foldable to close the ends of the tubularlyarranged walls,

a triangular potentially removable area in one wall panel of saidcontainer substantially midway between the ends of said containerdefined by weakened lines of separation,

an elongated substantially rectangular sheet of paperboard of a lengthgreater than the length of said container and less than twice the lengththereof,

said sheet being creased along three longitudinally extending fold linesinto four panels which may be folded to provide a triangular tubularstandard, said sheet being foldable substantially centrally to providetwo sheet sections in face contact, said sections being narrower inwidth than said container,

said sections being provided with a transverse fold line along whichsaid sections may be folded to provide section ends shorter in lengththan said container, whereby said sheet, when folded along thelongitudinal fold line and said transverse fold line may be insertedinto said container,

said sheet, when folded into tubular form being insertable into saidpotentially removable area after removal thereof to hold said containerat substantially right angles to said tubularly folded sheet, and

an attaching bracket comprising a generally rectangular sheet ofpaperboard having a central fold line dividing said sheet into two areaswhich are narrower in width than said container and shorter than saidcontainer,

said last named rectangular sheet having a pair of parallel fold linesthereacross intersecting said first mentioned fold line therein at rightangles and dividing said last named sheet into a central base portionand a pair of similar end portions foldable into parallel relation andincluding opposed triangular apertures adapted to accommodate said postwhen folded into triangular tubular form with the outer panels of saidfirst named sheet in face contact, and

a generally rectangular display panel of flexible material adapted to berolled up, one dimension of said panel being shorter than said containerto permit the rolled panel to be enclosed Within the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,555,986 6/1951 Miller 40124.l2,939,236 6/1960 Stein 40-125 X 3,138,886 6/l964 Cobb 40-41 X 3,288,41211/1966 Murphy 40-125 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. W. J,CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner,

